Nagisa felt, rather than saw, the shift in scenery when she came to. For one thing, it was warmer. And for another, she was lying on a wooden floor, not the ground.
"Owww…"
She forced her eyes open against the harsh light of the…auditorium?
It was an auditorium. An older one, if the floor and drawn curtains were anything to go by.
Groaning, Nagisa slowly got to her feet. After the intense practice they had begun back in _, this 'flinging-Nagisa-through-space-and-time', really wasn't doing any favors for her muscles.
"Chieri?"
A sharp wedge of anxiety twisted itself in her stomach. Chieri was strong, but…but if she was alone somewhere, like Nagisa was, after everything that she had already gone through…would she be alright?
And if she wasn't alright…what could Nagisa possibly do about it? She wasn't exactly the one to go to in the time of crisis. That was more of a Kanata thing. Or a Yuka thing. Definitely not a her thing.
"Stop being stupid." Nagisa told herself tersely. Unfortunately, it did little to shut her brain up.
Sighing, Nagisa spun in a slow circle. It would do neither of them any good if she continued her self-pity party and nothing else.
She was in a school. That much was obvious. But it looked really…antique. There was a lot of wood; wooden tables, wooden floor and ceiling, wooden stage…all things that would have once existed all over on Earth. Not so much now, unless you went to a planet where such resources were readily available.
"H-hello? Anyone here?" Nagisa called, but the old building was quiet.
Nagisa waited another five minutes, watching an old-fashioned clock on one of the walls before she decided to leave.
Why would the time…wind drop her off in an empty school? Seeing Yuuko she could make sense of. Going back to the first generation had been surreal, but then, it wasn't too crazy…kinda've.
Nagisa made a face as she walked down a silent hallway, her footsteps way too loud for the empty space. It would be best not to go down the thought-route of what was too crazy right now.
But then, what was the time wind? And the train, too. A metaphorical, dream invention?
Almost unconsciously, Nagisa rubbed her sore back. No, she was awake. Which meant that she was really here, where absolutely no one she knew could find or help her.
A hot sensation pricked her eyes at the thought. If she had been abandoned here…
She scrubbed hard at her face as she turned the corner – she didn't have time for crying.
But the feeling persisted, and she ducked into the first room with the open door she saw. Hot tears traced their way down her cheeks.
"C-crap…don't…don't you d-dare cry…"
The scolding didn't help either.
Nagisa Motomiya knelt down in the corner of the room (a classroom, to be specific) and had a good cry. For Chieri, who had just lost her dad and who was now alone again. For herself, because she hated being alone. Hated the idea of being separated from her friends. She cried for the grimness of the situation they were facing back on the Flying Get. She cried for it all.
After a while, she sniffled, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. She needed a tissue. And, preferably, a plan.
But the crying had helped. She could think again, and that was a start.
She stepped back out into the hallway. Sniffling, she made her way down one, and then another. Empty.
She knew that when the first immigrations began, the wealthier neighborhoods had left first. The ones with financial and social status. Perhaps that was why this school was empty. Humanity's carelessness had left it abandoned in the shell of the world that they had thoroughly destroyed.
"Geez, you're being depressing." Nagisa knocked her head gently against her fist. "Find a tissue. Then a plan."
It was only when she went down a set of stairs that she heard it. Someone was talking.
Nagisa froze for a moment, before remembering that she should be invisible to anyone in this timeline. Invisible and inaudible. Hopefully.
Nagisa edged slowly towards the room with the voice, breathing as quietly as she could. On the off-chance that she wasn't invisible this time around, it wouldn't be smart to barge into a place she knew so little about.
The sliding door was slightly ajar. Nagisa squeezed through it, holding her breath until she had made it inside.
Atsuko the First stood near the back, sporting the same short bob that Nagisa herself had emulated. She leaned against the first Takamina, who had cut her own bright locks into a (much shorter) ponytail then before. They looked older. And tired.
Nagisa crept forward. Even if they couldn't see her, it felt weird to simply…approach them. The girls who had inspired and pushed her own dreams forward.
They were watching a screen, where a man with a pinched, angry face read off of an early version of the holograph.
'…and with the direct authority placed in me by the valued leaders of the DGTO, the following evils will have no place in our new world. Performance, including that of dancing, ice-skating and gymnastics. Singing, including that of choir, recreational and vocalizing. Sports, including that of –'
The screen was switched off, the 'click' deafening in the still room. Shivering, Nagisa hugged herself as she watched. What must it have been like, to suddenly have freedoms snatched away like they were nothing more than a wrist-slap, or a spank on the bum.
How it must have hurt, to have such powerful outlets and ideals stolen away.
"Well, that's it girls." An unfamiliar girl said, turning the group. She had a peculiar hairstyle, with little braids that were pinned into place to look like cat ears. She looked angry.
"Our venerable leaders have laid down the law. No more singing…dancing…having fun…"
"Yuuko, please, not now." Atsuko held up a hand as she broke away from Takamina. "We already came to a decision."
"Hell no! I'm not just going to stand here and let bitter old men take the things I love away from me! You can hide all you want, but –"
"Yuuko!" Several voices chorused at once. Yuuko the first glowered at the group.
"What?!
"That was uncalled for." Yukirin said shakily, her eyes overbright. "Can't we…can't we just get along for r-right now?"
Silence once again.
Another new girl coughed, moving to step next to Yuuko. She had an athletic build to her, with long legs and a sharp, elegant face.
"Atsuko, lets vote again. I know I…I think a lot of us would like to continue performing. Dancing. Even if we have to take it underground, surely –"
"Sayaka, do you want to get arrested?" Tomochin asked, her usually mild voice unusually sharp.
Sayaka – Sayaka the first, frowned. A crease formed between her brows. "Of course not. But this…this corrupt garbage isn't fair. Isn't right. I don't want to just lie down and give up something I know millions love. I'd…I'd never forgive myself."
Tomochin looked at her, but said nothing in reply. After a moment, she shook herself, turning to where Atsuko stood. "I want to revote too. I know we said we'd quit if they went through with the rulings…but I dislike the idea of giving it all up too."
Atsuko was quiet. Thoughtful. Her dark eyes went through the group, from where Haruna and Yukirin held each other tightly. Where Sayaka stood next to Yuuko, the pair pale with anger and frustration. Tomochin, withdrawn.
"…I'm not settling on anything right now, because we're not all assembled." She said at last, watching them all carefully. "But if we keep going, we'll be breaking the law. We could get into a huge amount of trouble. It will impact our families…our futures and careers, if we continue. Is this understood?"
She paused a moment, waiting. When no one said anything, she sighed. "Everyone in favor of continuing AKB activities, say aye."
"Aye!" Yuuko burst out, fierce as she locked eyes with Atsuko.
"Aye." Takamina echoed, her own face set.
One by one, the other girls also answered. It was unanimous.
Atsuko didn't say anything else for a moment. She just looked at them all. Finally, she sighed.
"I'll reach out to everyone who isn't here via MoLink. See what they say. Until then," She looked directly at Sayaka and Yuuko, "say and do nothing against the new regulations going out. Nothing. Am I understood?"
There was a chorus of yes's and nodding heads.
"Alright. Meeting adjourned."